Tile cutting and breaking machine



Oct. 31, 1933. 5 1 n- 1,932,659

TILE CUTTING AND BREAKING MACHINE Filed July 16, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Saw/0:1- I. GRfl/V/ 7-5.

06%. 31, 1933. s L GRANlTE 1,932,659

TILE CUTTING AND BREAKING MACHINE Filed July 16. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'NVENTOR, 5/7/9051. 1'. Gmq/v/ r5- Patented Oct. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT) OFFICE} 9 Claims.

The primary object of my invention, is the provision of a device possessing a marked improvement in divers ways over the fewand highly unsatisfactory cutting tools employed in the tile 8 cutting art.

" It is the object of my device thus, to place into the hands of the tile setter, a practical portable tool that not only will cut the highly glazed tile slabs commonly used in kitchens, bathrooms,

and food establishments, etc., in any desired or required form, but will simultaneously therewith separate the cut in an absolutely clean and even break.

The most efficient tool in use in the arttoday does not accomplish this result, it merely scores the top of the slab, the workman then finding it necessary to hit the underside of the slab with any convenient means to aifect the break, the resultant separation in many instances being far from a clean job, parts adhering that must be chipped off and frequently the slab is thereby spoiled, resulting ina loss'which due to the number of pieces of slabs required for the average job, makes such spoilage a costly factor.

I In the use of my device, no such unnecessary loss is experienced; My improved device not only scores the slab from the top, but also breaks and separates the slab, the scoring and even break pressure asserted by the device assuring a clean and even cut that cannot be produced as readily and as satisfactory, without spoilage by any type of cutter or separator means presently employed.

Another object of my device is the provision I of a cutting die that permits and enables the ways which will hereinafter be described, and

therefore I wish to claim all of these features herein.

I attain these objects by the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention; Figure 2 is a top or plan view of Fig. 1; Figure 3 is an end elevation of Fig. 2 Figure 4 is a top 5 view of the table comprising the bedplate thereof Figure 5 isa sectional view taken on the line (c1. res-as) 5-5 of Fig. 2; Figure 6 is a sectional viewthroug'h l the table showing a tile of bull nosevariety positioned for scoring, the scoring wheel being positioned for starting the cut; Figure 7 is a fragmentary view showing the operating lever in position for breaking the tile; Figure 8 is a plan View of the table with the gauge for aligning the tile in position for scoring andbreaking} and Figures 9 and 10 are plan views-respectively of the table with my angle cutting gauge in position for cutting tile at varied angles. Similar reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several views, the reference character 1 thus indicating the base of my device, 2 is the table, said table being movably positioned on said base, and interchangeably posi- 1 tioned with the cuttingand scoring means. In

practice I have found it expedient to reverse the same from the position shown in the drawings,

so that the scoring of moulded tile may the more readily be accomplished, reversing the table and cutter means providing increased clearance for the cutting device than that shown, 3 are guide columns, 1 yokes for carrying breaker bars 10, said breaker bars are lined on their underside 0 with a rubber liner or shoe, the purpose thereof being toprevent the surface area. of the bars from coming into direct contact with and marring the glazed surface area of the tile slab,- and to assure a cushioning effect between the'two, 35 this being a desirable feature as tile slabs do not always run true to form, the said yokes 4 being held in elevated position by springs] 5. Guide and pressure bars 6 are secured to the guidecok umns 3 by pins or bolts 7-whicl1 pass through holes 8 in the guide bars 6 and holes 9 in the columns 3, it being possible to move said guide bars from the lower and upper holes 9 when additional space between the table and breaker bars is. required. Pockets 11 in the yokes 4 permit of 5 positioning the breaker bars 10 for handling either narrow or wide tile.

A tongue 12 is formed alongthe center of the table 2, and a slot 14 in said table provides a recess forthe ends of tile of the bull nose type, as is very clearly indicated in Fig. 6. A pocket 15 I in table 2 serves to give clearance for the scoring knife or diamond 23, and on the edge of the table, a scale 16 readily provides an adjusting means for correctly setting any gauge it is desired to use.

A lever 17 and engaging handle means 18 in cooperation with a bell crank 19 carries trunnions 20' on which rollers 21 revolve. Secured to lever 17 are pivots 22 as will be noted Fig. 7 110 wherein the lever is indicated in position for breaking the already scored tile. The pivot 22 being against the bar 6, moving the lever 17 to the right forces the rollers 21 down against the breaker bars 10, said bars forcing the tile against the breaker knife 13, this sequence of operation causing the tile slab to separate in a straight and uniform cut or break.

On the forward side of the lever 1'1 a diamond or cutter 23 in a cutter bar 24 is secured to said lever by means of screws 25. Secured to the scale 16 at right angles is a gauge 26, said gauge being juxtapositioned parallel to the breaker knife 13 by a grooved base 2'7 which fits over the tongue 12 of the table 2, said gauge 26 being used for making straight cuts only. Where it is necessary to make angular cuts, I mount a secondary gauge 28 upon the gauge 26 by a clevis 35, the tongue 29 of the gauge 26 passing into the bifurcated end 30 of the clevis 35 and is movably held in position by a pin or bolt 31, said gauge 28 being provided with a groove or cut out portion 36 and incorporating a triangular shaped cut-away portion 3'7 for engagement of the tile slab.

As shown in Fig. 10, gauge 28 is in position for cutting tile slabs at an angle of 45 degrees, a bolt 32 secures a slotted finger 33 to the gauge 28 and the finger 33 may be moved inwardly or outwardly to secure the gauge 28 in any desired posi tion for holding the tile slab at any predetermined cutting angle.

My improved device is readily adaptable to the cutting at any conceivable angle of every known type of tile slab and in thickness from to 1", inclusive of embossed tile and moulded trim.

It cuts and breaks the tile slab without chipping and uneven breaks, is quickly and readily manipulated by the setter, and being portable and as light in weight as structural details permit, readily carried about from job to job.

As a practical article of manufacture, the device is readily produced from materials obtainable in the open market.

It is of simple construction, of few parts, can hardly be held subject to getting out of order, and requires no expert knowledge to use.

I am aware that slight modifications may from time to time be madein the details of construction illustrated without departing, however, from the scope of the present disclosure, and as defined in the claims which are appended hereto. Hence, I do not limit my present invention to the exact description of construction herein disclosed, but what I do claim, is:-

1. In a device of the class described, in combination, a table adapted to support a tile slab, a support for said table, tile scoring means movably disposed above said table, breaker bars cooperating with said scoring means for manually exerting pressure against the face of the tile slab on adjacent sides of the scored portion, a breaker knife contacting said tile on its under side in alignment with the scored portion, said manually exerted pressure against the said scored tile by said breaker bars forcing the tile slab against said breaker knife and to separate at the scored portion.

2. In a device of the character described, in combination with a table removably positioned on a supporting member, gauge means comprising a triangular cut-away portioned member, having a movably disposed slotted finger outwardly extendible from said triangular cutaway portioned member whereby said member is angularly positioned on said table for the angular placement of a tile slab on said table and providing a means for cutting angular shaped pieces of tile, a tile scoring and separator means comprising a pivoted lever and bell crank means, trunnions in engagement therewith, rollers carried thereby, breaker bars adaptable to the engagement of said rollers and with a tile slab positioned on said table, said breaker bars lined with a resilient material to form a cushioned contact with the tile slab, a cutter bar engaging said lever, a cutter knife removably positioned therein, and a breaker knife in engagement with said table and contacting with the under side of the tile slab in alignment with the scored upper side of the slab, said scoring knife and breaker bars scoring and separating the tile slab upon operation of said scoring and said breaking means without repositioning or removal from the said table.

3. In a device for the separation of tile slabs, a table, a support for said table, means movably disposed on said table for holding the tile slab in a predetermined position on said table, means in detachable engagement with said table for scor- 7 ing the tile slab, means cooperative therewith for simultaneously exerting pressure against the face of the tile slab on both sides of the score, and means in engagement with the underside of the tile slab and in alignment with the score for resisting said pressure, said pressure means and said resisting means engaging the tile slab under tension so as to separate said tile slab in said score.

4. In a device for the separation of tile slabs, a table, a. support for said table, means in detach- 1'10 able engagement with said table for positioning the slab in a predetermined position relative a scoring and a breaker means detachably mounted above said tablefor scoring and breaking said tile, i scoring means, breaker means cooperative with said scoring means for simultaneously exerting pressure against the face of the tile slab adjacent both sides of the score, means common to both said scoring means and said breaker means for manually operating said scoring means and. said breaker means, and means on said table and engaging said tile slab on its under side and in alignment with the score on the face of the tile slab resulting from operation of said scoring means for resisting the pressure exerted on both sides of said score on the face of the tile slab, and whereby the tile slab under tension of said pressure means and said pressure resisting means is separated in said score.

5. In a device for the separation of tile slabs, a table, a support for said table, a demountable tile scoring and tile breaker means in engagement with said table, means cooperative therewith for separating the tile slab, said first mentioned means comprising a scoring knife movably positioned above said table and breaker bar means provided with dual resilient surface points of contact for engagement with the face of the tile slab on both sides of the score, and saidlast mentioned means comprising a breaker knife contacting the l tile slab on its under side, the pressure exerted by said breaker bars against the face of the tile slab on both sides of the score line, forcing the slab under tension against said breaker knife in contact with the underside of the slab, and resulting in the separation ofthe slab directly in said score line. 7

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a support, column members mounted.

on the support, yoke members slidably mounted on the column members, springs interposed between the yoke member and the support, guide means connecting the ends of the column members which are furthest from said support, a pair of rubber lined breaker bars mounted on said yoke members, said breaker bars being adjustably mounted to compensate for different size tile, scoring means slidably mounted in the guide means for scoring a piece of tile on the support, said scoring means having an outstanding projection which engages the upper surface of the breaker bars and forces the breaker bars against the tile to break the tile along the previously scored line.

'7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a table, guide bars positioned above the table, a tile scoring and breaking means movably positioned above the table and restrained to move'in a straight line by said guide means, said breaking and scoring means comprising a bell crank lever having a handle at one end, cutters for scoring the tile mounted at another end rectilinearly.

operated by the lever for forcibly contacting the scored tile and the rib for cleaving the tile on opposite sides of the score line thereof.

9. In a device of the kind described, a frame, a tile scoring means, a tile crushing means exerting pressure on opposite sides of the scoring means, separate supports for said scoring and crushing means, a lever for actuating either means, and means whereby said lever may move SAMUEL I. GRANITE. 

